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He moves around the coffee table and steps closer to me. He can’t be more than fifteen or sixteen years old.
He’s just a boy.
My hands shake, and my lips tremble. “Are you Cory? The one who lost his friend?”
“I didn’tlosemy friend. My friend was taken from me.” He stabs the air with his gun. “Your boyfriend killed him.”
“He didn’t mean to.” My voice comes out as a broken whisper. “He was just trying to help.”
Cory chokes out a bitter laugh. “Cops always mean to kill people. They love getting to show off their power and shoot their guns.” He waves his gun in front of my face. “Well, I’ve got a gun now too.”
A tear slips down my cheek. “That’s not going to bring your friend back. You know that.”
“I’m not trying to get my friend back. I’m not stupid. I know he’s dead.” He sucks in a breath through his nose and puffs out his chest. “I’m getting justice.”
“This is revenge, not justice.”
“Shut the fuck up, bitch!”
I flinch, and Wilbur barks.
“Shut your dog up too, or I will.”
“No, please. He’s only barking because he’s scared.” I bend down and scoop Wilbur into my arms. “It’s okay, boy. It’s okay.”
“You’re going to call your boyfriend and tell him to come over here.” Cory takes another step closer, and Wilbur lets out a low growl. “But you’re not going to tell him that I’m here. You’re going to act like everything is perfectly fine.”
I can’t lure James here. Not without telling him about Cory, and not without protection and backup.
Think, think, think.
“He’s at work right now. He never answers when I call him at work.”
Cory clenches his jaw. “I saidcall him.”
“He’ll know something is wrong if I do. Cory, please don’t do this. You’re going to ruin your life if you kill someone.”
“Don’t act like you give a shit about my life.”
“I do.” Another tear falls. “I used to be like you, Cory. My father died, and my mother was pretty rotten to me. I was depressed all the time, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I was angry and in pain all the time. But instead of wanting to hurt someone else, like you, I wanted to hurt myself. So, I tried to kill myself.”
Cory snorts. “Obviously you didn’t succeed.”
“I almost did. But I got a second chance. I was able to start fresh, and I got help. You can get help too. You don’t have to feel like this all the time. You don’t have to hurt other people just because you’re hurting.”
Cory presses the gun against my forehead. “Your psychobabble isn’t going to work on me. You’re acting like you want to help me because I’m pointing a gun at you.”
I hold Wilbur tight to my chest as he whimpers and squirms to get out of my grip. “I do care, Cory. I care because I know what it’s like to feel hopeless. I know what it’s like to get a do-over. This can beyourdo-over. Put the gun down and walk away. I won’t tell James anything. I’ll even help you. You can turn your life around. You don’t have to do this. This isn’t the only path for you. I know it feels that way, but it’s not.”
His bloodshot eyes bounce between mine.
Come on, Cory. Put down the gun and walk away.
But then the front door opens, and all hell breaks loose.
“Honey, I’m home.”
“James, run!” I try to warn him before Cory grabs me by my neck and pulls me in front of him. The cold metal of the gun digs into my temple.
